THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala blasted the LDF Government and the PMO for denying permission to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi here on Tuesday. Addressing press conference with other UDF leaders, he said the Opposition was deliberately ignored. They got an invitation to the 5.30 pm meeting at Thycaud Government Guest House at 5:10 pm. The UDF had sought the permission from PMO and CMO to meet him and give a memorandum seeking a special package for the Ockhi-hit families. They had written to chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan and chief secretary K. M. Abraham, but there was no proper response.
"The Opposition has got an equal role in intervening in the issues of the common people. The rejection has been a huge disgrace to the Opposition meted out by the state and Union governments," said Mr Chennithala. "The PMO gave time to the BJP leaders to meet him. The PM decided not to meet any party leaders but met his party leaders. It's his dictatorial style." He said it was unfortunate that even revenue minister E. Chandrasekharan was kept out when he met fishers in Poonthura. "AICC general secretary K. C. Venugopal MP had sent an email to PMO and even spoke to his private secretary," he added.
KPCC president M. M. Hassan alleged that the attitude of the PM was not befitting of a statesman. "In fact, the UDF had demanded Mr Vijayan to allow an all-party delegation to meet the PM," he said. "It's not to discuss party issues, but to support the LDF government's proposal for the financial package." The UDF had prepared a memorandum demanding the Ockhi be declared as a national disaster, '2000 crore earmarked for the affected fishermen, a separate fisheries ministry at the centre and naval aircrafts and bigger vessels put into use for retrieving missing men and their boats.
